Critic Reviews

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90

Christ Centered Game Reviews

This is one of the best games of 2005. The voice acting by, Christian Bale, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine is all great. If you loved the movie, and like a good stealth game, buy this, you won't regret it.

Batman's appeal has always been that he could be any man behind that mask, for he doesn't have super powers. The training levels are a little tedious, but serves it purpose to have you naturally thinking and reacting as if you're Batman by the heart of the game. And that's what a good movie-based game should be all about - to bring the cinematic experience home. Fortunately, there's also enough gaming here for a solid action game on its own merits which bodes well for sequels, just like its cinematic cousin. Welcome back, Bats.

The origins of Batman have fascinated comic book fans and moviegoers alike for decades and for good reason: Bruce Wayne's metamorphosis from misguided billionaire to menacing crime fighter makes for an interesting and ultimately entertaining story. In 1989, director Tim Burton teamed with actors Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson and hooked audiences with a blockbuster re-imagining of the tale complete with a stylized look and some engaging action. But as compelling as the movie was, it skipped a major portion of Bruce Wayne's eventful life and as a result failed to paint the full picture of Batman's humble beginning. Three sequels, the latter two so bubble-gum shallow and disturbingly flamboyant that they made even the Adam West-helmed television show seem tame by comparison, didn't add to the lure of the comic- turn-movie series.

This review may seem like I didn't enjoy the game, but that is far from the truth. As a fan of the characters and the film itself I enjoyed the game for what it was. Batman in one of his best games to date. Batman Begins isn't the worst movie tie-in game that's ever been made, but it isn‘t the game I wanted. Like all comic book games I was hoping for something a little more non-linear and a little something else.

Batman Begins is a must-play for all Batman fans, including the fans of the new, just-released film. It's short, lasting all of about 7-9 hours, and beatable in about two to three sittings. I'd recommend a rental for pretty much anyone interested in the Batman franchise, and possibly a purchase for die-hards. Batman Begins is the beginning of the transformation of the Batman franchise. I like what I see, and I like even better what I play.

This is the modern, moody Dark Knight’s greatest game – fast paced, stylish, not very brainy, and often an easy, good time. Is it great? Heck no. Does it offer little substance, but an enjoyable handful of thrills? It does, more often than not.
Batman Beings takes just a few parts of the great comic hero’s identity and really drives them home. He’s only a man, so don’t bolt into a room full of armed goons and hope to get out safely. Scared enemies are weak enemies, so freak them out like a bad brown acid trip before they even see you.

No doubt about it, Batman Begins is the best GameCube game based on the Caped Crusader thus far but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect either. It’s rough around the edges in terms of the stealth portion of the game and the fighting becomes a bit repetitive despite the cool gadgets Batman has at his disposal. Yet with dazzling visuals, extremely fun Batmobile levels and talented voice work, this is a game you shouldn’t miss if you loved the movie or all things Batman.

As far as movie tie-ins, Batman Begins isn’t the worst game that’s ever been produced, but it’s definitely one that would appeal to the diehard fan only. With extremely linear gameplay, a relatively flawed fear mechanic and basic combat system, Batman really isn’t breaking a sweat in this title. Neither will gamers looking for a challenging adventure game.

Layered with actual footage from the movie the cutscenes give you something to look forward to especially if you haven't seen the movie. The sound effects and music are excellent as is the animation. The production values raise the bar for an interactive movie. If you're just looking for some mindless entertainment with occasional bursts of brilliance to keep you awake then look no further than Batman Begins.

Overall, Batman Begins is a game that has a great set of concepts, but inevitably falls short once you realize there’s not much to it, and that you’re essentially traveling along a linear path and repeating the same process over and over again until you reach the end, with your only occasional relief being the driving sessions. And thank goodness for them, because if it wasn’t for those Batmobile levels, I’d deem the whole package as being overwhelmingly average. In the end, this may be the best Batman game released, but that really isn’t saying much.

Most games released to coincide with a films release seem rushed and overall a crappy product. While Batman Begins doesn’t seem rushed at all, it still isn’t quite the experience most gamers would have liked. Sure, the stealth and fighting elements are cool, but they are extremely basic and don’t give you anything you haven’t seen before. Then the game is extremely linear, which really puts a damper on everything. While Batman Begins isn’t a bad game, it isn’t a good game either. The developers had some excellent ideas which they didn’t execute as well as they could have. With that said, if you enjoyed the movie then you will love the game. Just don’t expect anything groundbreaking.

Batman Begins makes for a decent companion to the film. After you spend about seven or eight hours to beat the game, you unlock numerous bonus items, such as interviews with the movie cast, galleries, and more. But as a game it doesn't quite measure up. Though it borrows numerous conventions from other great action adventure franchises, the elements don't end up coming together very well, resulting in a game that feels less than the sum of its parts.

Pouring salt into the wound, the combat engine is just as shallow, monotonous, and nauseating as the fighting in the Catwoman game. Spectacular crashes light up the screen in the Batmobile segments, but the horribly designed objectives make this fast ride run out of gas quickly. As enjoyable as is it to lurk in the shadows, this bat is best left locked in the belfry away from your systems.

Batman Begins works from at least one novel idea: the idea of fear. Fear is the game's high concept. The dialogue often comes around to fear: Batman as a symbol of fear, fear as a means to transcend human limitations... fear, in a sense, as Batman's superpower. This is admirably well-grounded in the source material -- the movie likes to talk about fear too -- and it's always pleasing when play mechanics follow from narrative. But in practice, Batman tends to inspire fear by dropping crates near his enemies, which for some unexplored reason scares them witless and softens them up for subsequent beatings.

Although Batman Begins is better than most of the comic-based games out there, I'd be lying if I didn't say it was disappointing. It features some excellent graphics and audio production, as well as some of the best voiceover work to date. However, this can't make up for the frustrating gameplay, which tries to focus on stealth, combat, and platforming, yet doesn't manage to do any of these particularly well. The Dark Knight may have returned, but his latest game could have used more training.

On the other end of the spectrum is Batman, whose lack of any special powers besides his daddy’s trust fund makes him the most human of the altruistic circus freaks. The keys to Batman’s success are ingenuity, cunning, and deception, the same features that characterize the most recent movie franchise videogame, Batman Begins. While inventive in its combination of other games and cunning in its stylish look, it can also feel deceptive, like you’ve been duped into buying a watered-down version of better, more super games.